Sink for insertion into a cut-out opening in a work top

ABSTRACT

In order to produce a sink for insertion into a cut-out opening in a work top wherein the sink comprises an edge region which rests upon the work top in the installed state of the sink and wherein contaminants, crumbs for example, that are disposed on the upper surface of the work top outside the sink can be moved onto the edge region of the sink and then moved from there into the inner region of the sink that is surrounded by the edge of the sink in a particularly easy manner in the course of a cleaning process, it is proposed that the edge region of the sink be provided with a chamfer.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure is concerned with the matter that was disclosed in the German patent application No. 10 2006 045 843.5 dated 15 Sep. 2006. The entire description of this earlier application is incorporated by reference thereto as a constituent part of the present description (“incorporation by reference”).

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to a sink for insertion into a cut-out opening in a work top, wherein the sink comprises an edge region which rests upon the work top in the installed state of the sink.

BACKGROUND

Such a sink is known from EP 0 685 021 B1 for example.

In the case of this known sink, the edge region of the sink is inclined as a whole at an acute angle with respect to the horizontal surface of the work top when the sink is installed. The upper surface of the edge region of this sink which is inclined relative to the horizontal ends at a lower edge which is spaced from the upper surface of the work top by a distance that virtually corresponds to the total material thickness of the edge region of the sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a sink of the type specified hereinabove wherein contaminants, crumbs for example, that are disposed on the upper surface of the work top outside the sink can be moved onto the edge region of the sink and then moved from there into the inner region of the sink that is surrounded by the edge of the sink in a particularly easy manner in the course of a cleaning process.

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in the case of a sink incorporating the features indicted in the preamble of claim 1 in that the edge region of the sink is provided with a chamfer.

Due to the provision of such a chamfer, there is produced at the edge region of the sink a region which is inclined to the horizontal upper surface of the work top and along which contaminants, crumbs for example, that are disposed outside the sink on the upper surface of the work top can be moved upwardly in a particularly easy manner onto the edge region of the sink and then moved from there into the inner region of the sink surrounded by the edge of the sink in the course of a cleaning process by a user, without it being necessary to tilt the edge region as a whole with respect to the horizontal for this purpose.

Moreover, due to the chamfer, the edge region of the sink tapers from an initial material thickness H down to a smaller material thickness h at an outer end of the edge region. Consequently, the section of the edge region that is inclined to the horizontal is located at a distance from the upper surface of the work top which is significantly smaller than the initial material thickness H so that, in correspondence therewith, the contaminants can be moved more easily from the upper surface of the work top onto the edge region of the sink.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the edge region has an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink.

This inclined surface is preferably substantially flat.

It has proved to be expedient for the inclined surface to be inclined at an angle α of approximately 20° to approximately 40° with respect to the upper surface of the work top.

It is particularly expedient if the inclined surface is inclined at an angle α of approximately 25° to approximately 35° with respect to the upper surface of the work top.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the edge region to comprise an end face which is arranged between the chamfer and the upper surface of the work top.

In order to enable the contaminants to be easily moved from the upper surface of the work top onto the edge region of the sink, it is expedient for the end face to have a height of at most approximately 0.6 mm.

It is particularly expedient if the end face has a height of at most approximately 0.4 mm.

On the other hand, it has proved to be advantageous for the end face to have a height of at least approximately 0.1 mm.

It is particularly expedient, if the end face has a height of at least approximately 0.2 mm.

The end face is preferably aligned substantially vertically in the installed state of the sink.

Furthermore, provision may be made for the edge region to have a substantially flat bearing surface with which the edge region rests upon the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink.

In order to ensure that the edge region of the sink projects upwardly as little as possible above the upper surface of the work top, it is expedient if the bearing surface rests substantially flatly on the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink. Furthermore, this offers the advantage of a particularly stable and load-bearing means of support for the sink on the upper surface of the work top.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the edge region to comprise an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the bearing surface of the edge region.

The chamfering of the edge region can be produced by machining the edge region of the sink for example.

As an alternative or in addition thereto, provision may also be made for the chamfering of the sink to be produced by a process of stamping the edge region, especially when the edge region of the sink is made of a metallic material.

As an alternative or in addition thereto, provision may also be made for the chamfering of the edge region to be formed in the edge region when the edge region of the sink is manufactured by a casting process in a mould.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the edge region of the sink to comprise a metallic material and preferably to be formed entirely from a metallic material.

As an alternative or in addition thereto, provision may be made for the edge region of the sink to comprise a synthetic material, a ceramic material or a composite material.

In particular, provision may be made for the edge region of the sink to be formed entirely from a synthetic material, a ceramic material or a composite material.

Further features and advantages of the invention form the subject matter of the following description and the graphic illustration of an exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a sink inserted into a cut-out opening in a work top;

FIG. 2 a schematic plan view from above of the sink of FIG. 1 when inserted into the cut-out opening in the work top;

FIG. 3 a schematic vertical longitudinal section through the work top and the sink of FIGS. 1 and 2 when inserted into the cut-out opening in the work top, parallel to the front sink edge of the sink;

FIG. 4 an enlarged illustration of the region I of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 an enlarged illustration of the region II of FIG. 4.

Similar or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference symbols in each of the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A sink bearing the general reference 100 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises a main bowl 102 having a waste opening 104 and a smaller auxiliary bowl 106 having a waste opening 107 which are both embedded in a substantially horizontally aligned sink surface 108 from which there arises in the upward direction a tap-fittings seat 10 incorporating through openings 112 for accommodating a fitting and/or an operating knob for opening or closing a bowl closure means which is arranged behind the auxiliary bowl 106, and there is also a raised draining surface 114 which is arranged on the side of the main bowl 102 remote from the auxiliary bowl 106.

The outer edges of the sink surface 108 and the upper surface 116 of the tap-fittings seat 110 merge into an edge region 120 of the sink 100 surrounding the sink 100 via a bevelled portion 118.

The lower surface of the edge region has a substantially flat and substantially horizontally oriented bearing surface 122 with the aid of which, in the installed state thereof, the sink rests flatly upon a substantially flat and substantially horizontally aligned upper surface 124 of a work top 126 which comprises a cut-out opening 128 (see FIG. 3) that is matched to the outer contour of the sink 100 and into which the sink 100 is inserted.

In order to hold the sink 100 on the work top 126, the lower surface of the edge region 120 of the sink 100 is provided with angled mounting brackets 130 (see FIG. 4) which are each latched by a fixing clip 132 that is clamped against a retaining claw 136 by means of a tightening screw 134, whereby the retaining claw 136 is supported on the lower surface 138 of the work top 126.

By tightening the tightening screw 134, the edge region 120 of the sink 100 can be pulled against the upper surface 124 of the work top 126.

As can best be seen from the enlarged illustration of FIG. 5, the outwardly pointing end region 140 of the edge region 120 of the sink 100 is provided with a chamfer 142 due to which the edge region 120 tapers down from an initial material thickness H to a material thickness h and comprises a bevelled or inclined surface 144 which is substantially flat and is inclined at an angle α with respect to the substantially horizontally aligned upper surface 146 of the edge region 120 and with respect to the horizontal upper surface 124 of the work top 126.

This angle α lies in a range of approximately 20° to approximately 40°, and preferably within a range of approximately 25° to approximately 35°. In a preferred embodiment of the sink 100, the angle α amounts to approximately 30°.

The inclined surface 144 adjoins the horizontal upper surface 146 of the edge region 120 along an upper edge 148, and adjoins an end face 152 of the edge region 120 which is arranged between the chamfer 142 and the bearing surface 122 of the edge region 120 along a lower edge 150.

The end face 152 is preferably aligned substantially perpendicularly relative to the bearing surface 122 of the edge region 120 and, in the installed state of the sink 100, is substantially vertical.

The height h of the end face 152 lies within a range of approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.6 mm, and preferably within a range of approximately 0.2 mm to approximately 0.4 mm.

The width b of the chamfer 142, i.e. the extent thereof (in the installed state of the sink 100) in a horizontal direction transverse to the end face 152, is preferably greater than the height h of the end face 152. In particular, provision may be made for the width b of the chamfer 142 to be at least approximately double, and preferably to amount to at least approximately four times the height h of the end face 152.

The sink 100 can, in particular, be made of a metallic material, and especially from a high-grade steel material, by means of a forming process, and in particular, by means of a deep-drawing and/or stamping process.

The edge region 120 of the sink 100 can, in particular, be formed from a metal sheet of material thickness H.

The chamfer 142 of the edge region 120 can be produced either by machining the outwardly pointing end region 140 of the edge region 120 of the sink 100, or else, by means of a process of stamping the end region 140 of the edge region 120 which has an initial material thickness H.

As an alternative thereto, the sink 100 can also be made of a synthetic material, a ceramic material or a composite material for example, and in particular, by means of a casting process.

In this case, the chamfer 142 can be produced within the end region 140 of the edge region 120 of the sink 100 during the casting process by an appropriate complementary shaping of the mould, or else it could be produced after the casting process by a machining operation.

The inclined surface 144 formed by the chamfer 142 of the edge region 120 offers the advantage that contaminants, crumbs for example, that are disposed on the upper surface 124 of the work top 126 outside the region occupied by the sink 100 can be moved upwardly along the inclined bevelled surface 144 onto the horizontal upper surface 146 of the edge region 120 and then from there into the inner region of the sink 100 that is surrounded by the edge of the sink, and in particular into the main bowl 102 or the auxiliary bowl 106 in a particularly easy manner in the course of a cleaning process being effected by the user.

In particular, due to the chamfer 142 of the edge region 120 of the sink 100, the height h of the step to be surmounted during such a cleaning process is significantly reduced as compared with the material thickness H of the edge region 120, this thereby significantly simplifying the transportation of the contaminants in a direction towards the inner region of the sink 100 comprising the basins 102, 106 that is surrounded by the edge of the sink.

The cleaning process can be effected here, in particular, with the help of a dish cloth. 

1. A sink for insertion into a cut-out opening in a work top, wherein the sink comprises an edge region which rests upon the work top in the installed state of the sink, wherein the edge region of the sink is provided with a chamfer.
 2. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the edge region has an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink.
 3. A sink in accordance with claim 2, wherein the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of approximately 20° to approximately 40° with respect to the upper surface of the work top.
 4. A sink in accordance with claim 3, wherein the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of approximately 25° to approximately 35° with respect to the upper surface of the work top.
 5. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the edge region has an end face which is arranged between the chamfer and the upper surface of the work top.
 6. A sink in accordance with claim 5, wherein the end face has a height of at most approximately 0.6 mm.
 7. A sink in accordance with claim 6, wherein the end face has a height of at most approximately 0.4 mm.
 8. A sink in accordance with claim 5, wherein the end face has a height of at least approximately 0.1 mm.
 9. A sink in accordance with claim 8, wherein the end face has a height of at least approximately 0.2 mm.
 10. A sink in accordance with claim 5, wherein the end face is aligned substantially vertically in the installed state of the sink.
 11. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the edge region has a substantially flat bearing surface with which the edge region rests upon the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink.
 12. A sink in accordance with claim 11, wherein the bearing surface rests substantially flatly on the upper surface of the work top in the installed state of the sink.
 13. A sink in accordance with claim 11, wherein the edge region has an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to the bearing surface of the edge region.
 14. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the chamfer of the edge region is produced by machining the edge region of the sink.
 15. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the chamfer of the sink is produced by a process of stamping the edge region.
 16. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the chamfer of the edge region is moulded in the edge region.
 17. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the edge region of the sink comprises a metallic material.
 18. A sink in accordance with claim 1, wherein the edge region of the sink comprises a synthetic material, a ceramic material or a composite material. 